The Icarus Tales: Night and Day
by JoAmazing
Summary: Three half-bloods, Ike the son of Demeter, Esme the daughter of Ares, and Damon the son of Nyx, search for the Garden of Hesperads to find the deity who kidnapped the child of Hera and Zeus and prove Nyx's innocence. Rated T because I'm sort of paranoid.
1. Curious Taco's!

Disclaimer: Wait, let me bend the Mist and make you believe that I really created the entire world of Camp Half-Blood and that it was _not_ indeed the fabulous Rick Riordan. Didn't work? Shoot. All credit of this adventure fantasy world goes to Rick Riordan, icluding Percy Jackson, Jason Grace, Nico di Angleo, Chiron, and pretty much any familiar names. Also, the character of Valeri Paul belongs to my sister PlushChrome. Other then that, everything is pretty much mine. This story was mostly written by me, but some of the credit (A line or two and most of the editing) must go to PlushChrome.

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Chapter One

**IKE**

**Ike's life was great until his house blew up.**

And he was attacked by a lion man, and his step sister burst into flames, and the goat guy kidnapped both him and his sister. Basically, until his entire life fell apart.

It had all started when the taco truck came with his doom. Actually, that wasn't really fair. It had all started when he got a book from the library and decided it might be nice to read the book in the den by the fire. How stupid of him.

Before that day, Ike Tyler considered himself to be perfectly ordinary, even though his father was THE Oliver Tyler who owned just about half of New York and was never home and his step mother was the retired model Mia Gia, now Mia Gia-Tyler, and his sister was the child actress Reese Tyler.

He wore expensive clothing and rode horses and dined at five star restaurants, but he always took everything in stride.

Ike even looked normal enough. Other then his eyes, which sparkled several shades of green like the sun shining through tree leaves, he looked like any kid off the street with brand name state of the art Nike's. His hair was curly and brown and his skin was pale, but freckled. Ike wasn't built, or too tall or too short for a fifteen year old. He wasn't muscled or anything, in fact, people would more likely say that he was scrawny, but he wasn't even that. He was just ordinary Ike.

On the day that it all went down, Ike walked into the den, holding a book that he'd gotten from the library.

Reese was in the room with her agent Jorge, which was odd. Generally, Ike had the house to himself and the nanny and the cook, the two waiters, four cleaning ladies, horse jockey and gardener Becky. Reese was often away from the house, attending movie premiers, screenings, or auditions, practices and fencing lessons for her various parts. Mia generally made flights and trips all over the world, she had a comeback show in Paris the year before that had lasted six moths, and so she wasn't around as often.

And Ike's dad Oliver hadn't been around since Ike was five years old. He was either in his office or in his apartment complex in the city, working. One of the reasons that Mia wasn't around very often was that she would visit his dad more often then she would visit Ike and her daughter.

"What are you doing here?" Ike wondered as he came into the room. Reese looked up from her agents notebook with a distracted expression.

Reese was only nine, but she was already beautiful enough to be a high couture super model. She had Mia's dark Indian skin, and her black curly hair made her look like she belonged in the middle east. Her eyes complimented that, as they were the color of fire wood, glistening like the wood had just been set on fire.

"Hey, Ike," Reese said welcomingly, smiling like _he_ was the one who just got home. "Jorge and I were just figuring out if I'd be home for your birthday."  
Ike rolled his eyes, everyone in his family planned for the future a long time in advance. His birthday wasn't until November and already he was getting pressured about it. His dad had his agent call Ike up and ask him what kind of car he wanted.

"Hello, Reese, hello Mr. Iago," Ike greeted, Reese's agent looked up and glared at Ike like 'I hate you for not having your sister's talent or beauty'. Mr. Iago Jorge, who most just called Jorge, could never remember that Reese and Ike weren't actually related at all even though they'd grown up together. He just thought that Reese had ended up with all the talent, and that it was somehow Ike's fault.

He spoke with an accent that might've been Hindi, even though his red face and shaggy bright red hair to match said that he might be heavily Scottish or Irish. He was never nice to Ike, and always simpering and kissing up to Reese, who couldn't fire him because Mia was her manager and she thought that he was the greatest thing since slice bread. Jorge obviously thought so too.

Even so, Ike tried to be nice to him.

"Good morning, Icarus," Jorge said sharply. Ike hated that.

His name was Icarus Dmitri Tyler, but everyone had called him Ike for as long as he could remember. His dad had once told him that he had been on a 'Greek mythology kick' when he'd named him, and that he liked the story of Icarus the best.

Ike hated that story, too. To escape from captivity, a master craftsman had built him and his beloved nephew beautiful metal wings and they jumped out of the window to freedom. But the stupid, careless boy had been reckless and didn't listen to his uncle, he fell to his doom after melting all the wax on his wings.

Reese hated that story as well. Ike read it to her once when she was four and she had frowned indignantly.

"Why didn't the nephew listen?" She asked Ike, pouting. "He ruined his uncle's great invention!"

Invention was the only big word that she could say at that point, and for a long time, she had wanted to become an inventor, but then Mia started getting her in pageants, and then she did a modeling gig when she was just five, and then it all spiraled. Now, Reese was the best in the business.

"Ike," Reese corrected her agent, casting him her signature pouty glare. "His name is Ike, and I've told you this eighty times."  
"Yes, Miss Reese," Jorge said with a sour smile.

"It's fine, Reese," Ike lied as he came in the den. "I don't care what he calls me. So, you're planning for my birthday already?"  
"Oh yes," Jorge said before Reese could open her mouth. "You _are_ her big brother, we wouldn't want her to miss it. She seems to think, however, that you're having some sort of party."  
"It's his sweet sixteen," Reese said logically. "Of course he's having a party."  
"Actually, I wasn't," Ike told her apologetically. Reese had a very strong personality, and sometimes it was best to tread carefully. "Sorry, but I thought maybe we could just go out to eat as a family. I know that Mia doesn't really like it, but I was thinking pizza or something fresh like a salad bar."  
"Dad's not gonna get the time off," Reese warned, raising one eyebrow at Ike cutely in another of her signature looks. "He didn't even come to my last premier."  
"Reese, _I_ didn't come to your last premier," Ike defended his dad half heartedly.

"It's different," Reese interrupted. "You don't like the movies, or being in the city, and I know how much you despise Kelly Ray. Don't try to deny it, I've seen the way you glare at her. _He_ likes big parties and runways, where did you think he met Mom? And he didn't come to that. Don't expect him to treat you any differently, especially for this. He thinks birthday parties are trivial."  
"He's getting me a car," Ike protested without enthusiasm. He knew that Reese was right, his dad was so busy at the office and down town that he hadn't made it to one of Ike's parties in years. Not since Ike was five years old. Oliver Tyler didn't even do Christmas with the family anymore. He had people to do that for him.

Still, Ike tried not to be too pessimistic. He took everything in his stride.  
"And it's not like it matters that much," Ike continued, plopping down on the one of the white couches. "I don't even have to do pizza. Mia wouldn't like it anyway."  
Jorge gave Ike a fake sympathetic smile and then he made a show of looking thoughtful. "Icarus?" He asked.

"Yes, Mr. Iago?" Ike responded, ignoring that, once again, he had been called Icarus.

"Your name," Jorge said. "Is that after THE Icarus? The Greek myth about Daedelous and his nephew flying out of the Labyrinth?"  
"Yeah, it is," Ike told him, not seeing why Jorge was taking an interest. "Icarus Dmitri, both Greek. My dad was on a Grecian mythology kick when he named me."  
"What about you, Miss Reese?" Jorge asked, turning to Reese with a smile that Ike didn't like at all. It was as if Jorge was imagining everyway he could of eating Reese for his brunch to improve his career. "I believe that your full name is-"

"Amrita Reese Gia," Reese supplemented, not noticing the creepy smirk. "But legally changed to Reese Amanda Tyler when I was six because Mom said the Amrita wasn't a good show business name and we wanted my last name to be Tyler so that people could know that I belong in this family. I've been called Reese my whole life though, so I'm used to it."  
"And Amrita means...?" Jorge prodded.

"It's Hindi," Ike told him, frowning skeptically. "It means nectar. Why? What's your interest in it?"

"Oh, nothing much," Jorge said. "I suppose it would make sense, both of you having Greek names or names derived from the Greek culture, considering that you're brother sister."  
"Jorge," Reese sighed in exasperation. "We're not related. At all. I mean, he's my brother and everything, but he's not _really _my brother. He's my step brother, remember?"  
"Yes, of course," Jorge agreed forcing his face into a sheepish expression that made him look like all he really wanted to do was puke. "It's just that you look so similar sometimes. That's quite a coincidence, you both having Greek names, or derived from Greek words."  
"That _is_ a funny coincidence," Ike said. "I guess Mia and Dad both liked Greek mythology. Must've given em' something to talk about."  
"Do you remember your mother, Icarus?" Jorge said suddenly, turning to cast his creepy 'I'll tear you to pieces soon' look on Ike.

"Jorge!" Reese exclaimed, looking shocked and turning to her agent to glare.  
"That's alright, Reese," Ike told her, getting over his initial surprise and looking at Jorge. "No, I don't remember my mother at all. Dad says she left without a trace when I was just less then a month old."

"And Reese?" Jorge asked as he turned back to the actress. "Your father?"  
"No, alright?" Reese said indignantly. "No, I didn't know him. Mom says he died, and thanks for bringing that up."  
"Oh, she must've got over him quick," Jorge said scathingly. "Because, according to your mother, she married Oliver Tyler when you were just three weeks old. Why?"  
"I don't know," Reese said indignantly, looking about ready to fly off the handle. "Nine months is a lot of time to meet and marry a new guy and get over a death."  
"Maybe they thought that they could hide you both together," Jorge continued, smiling even wider. "What a stupid thought. You're not yet in your prime, but Icarus should've had fleets of us on him years ago."  
Ike and Reese exchanged a glance. "What are you talking about?" Ike asked him, ditching his book and coming over to where Jorge and Reese were sitting.

"Oh, you have no idea what you are," Jorge said, a bit of a purr in his voice. "I haven't feasted in so long, and you two smell so tasty. What a mixed family. What a glorious meal! I'm having Demigod for dinner!"  
Ike blinked in confusion. Jorge was acting more than strange, he was acting insane. What was he supposed to do with an insane agent who thought he could actually eat Ike and his sister and get away with it?

"Whoa there, Mr. Iago," Ike said, pulling Reese to her feet and backing away slowly with her behind him. He thought that he might as well try to laugh it off, it worked in shows. Sometimes. "Eat us? That's cannibalism, you know." He laughed like it was a joke and Jorge laughed with him.

"Oh, funny Demigod," Jorge said mockingly. "You have a way with words. Perhaps you are an Aphrodite child, but it does not matter to me. You will taste good and strong either way. I have smelled you, and you smell _good_."  
Reese looked at Ike like 'Can you believe this' and Ike shook his head lightly at her. He didn't think that Jorge was joking around, his accent had gotten stronger, like it did sometimes when he was upset with Ike or frustrated with Reese, and was it Ike's imagination, or were Jorge's teeth getting sharper?

"Look," Ike tried again. "I'm not sure that you understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. Iago-"

"My name isn't Iago Jorge," Apparently-not-Iago-Jorge interrupted.

"Um," Reese said, looking confused. "Yes, it is. Mom checked you out and said you were official."  
"The Mist works wonders on humans," Jorge said with a slight growl. "Especially stupid ones. She does not see me for what I am."  
Reese's confusion seemed to increase, as did Ike's. What was with this guy anyway? Was he criminally insane or something?"  
"Well," Ike said, trying to eject some sense into the conversation. "If you're not Jorge, then who are you? And why exactly are you trying to... eat us?"  
"I don't have time for useless mortals," The man who was not an agent said, his face contorting into a sneer. Reese laughed once in a nervous way. "You say that like you're not," She commented.

"Exactly," The crazy man said, and then he transformed.

His human body suddenly seemed to change, becoming bigger and beastly, covered in red fur the exact same color as Jorge's wild red hair. His hands turned into massive paws, with long claws, and he grew a tail, which wasn't covered in fur, but instead was just a small red oval.

His face, however, didn't change. It kept the same sneering face of Jorge, except the teeth were pointed horribly like a cats and his eyes, which were previously black, were now yellow slits.

Reese screamed and skidded backwards and Ike stumbled back after her, his mind suddenly blank.

"Jorge?" He asked stupidly, his voice weak and barely above a whisper.

"Get ready to die, Demigod," The over sized lion said in his accented voice. The monster lurched forward and Reese screamed again, but Ike didn't do anything. His brain couldn't function. What had happened?

Just a second before the huge creature could reach Ike and snuff out his life, a big truck crashed through the wall and smashed into the lion-Jorge.

"OH YEAH!" Yelled the driver ecstatically as the lion-man was thrown through the wall opposite them.

The driver was somewhere between seventeen and twenty, and when he stepped out of the truck, Reese let out a breathy laugh. The guy was wearing baggy jeans and a large sombrero over curly caramel colored hair. He had a little shaggy goatee on his chin, different colored freckles drawn on his nose and cheeks, and his tee-shirt said _Curious Taco's!_ Which was also printed on the side of the guys truck.

"Who da' man?!" The guy in the sombrero boasted loudly. "That's right, Manticore! Alder's the man! You feel like some half-blood today? Well, you ain't gettin' some! That's what I'm talkin' about!"  
"Um," Ike said, staring at the guy. "Who are you?"  
"I'm Alder, man!" Alder said happily. "Only the best taco truck driving Satyr in the Grecian world! Not sure about the Roman world though. But, go me! It's my birthday! I just smashed right into that Manticore! Did you see that? Did you see me in all of my epic, truck driving glory?"

"Yes," Reese said quietly, though it sounded more like a question. "Wha - what are you talking about? Satyr? Manticore?"  
"Yeah. Manitcore," Alder said as if it should be the most obvious thing in the world. "That was that crazy thing that attacked you, remember? He was all 'Oh, I'm gonna attack you like a doofus face' and I was all like 'Not on my watch! Taco truck in yo face', and then I launched him away from you like a pro? Oh yeah, that was me, being epic! You want an autograph or something? OH MY GOSH!"

He yelled, making Ike and Reese both jump.

"Someone call the fire department!" Alder continued. "I'm on fire! You're impressed, don't deny it. I'm amazing. The best demigod protecting minimum wager in the world! GO TEAM CURIOUS TACO'S!" He held up his arms to emphasize his great achievement and Ike stared.

"You said demigod," he pointed out. "_Demigod_! Like as in, descended from a god."  
"That is correctomundo," Alder said. "Demigod, that refers to you and I guess your sister. How you guys escaped the notice of monsters before this point I'll never figure out. But hey, I'm here and the Manticore's here, so I guess you can't exactly say that you've escaped notice. Get in the truck."  
"Excuse me, what?" Ike asked, raising his eyebrows at Alder in disbelief. "Get in the... Did you just ask us to get in your truck?"  
"No, I ordered," Alder corrected. "There's a difference. I'm technically kidnapping you, but it's for your own good. Now then, get in my taco truck before the Manticore-"

_"RRRWAAAUUUGGH!"_ A large roar sounded from the giant hole in the wall and Alder rolled his eyes. "Now you've done it," He said. "The Manticore just woke up. I can't deal with a Manticore! I flunked out of protector training!"  
"What are you doing here, then?" Reese asked him rudely.

Alder rolled his eyes again. "Driving a taco truck,' He said like it should be the most obvious thing on the planet.

"And you just happened to drive your taco truck into our Manticore without planning to?" Reese demanded incredulously.

"Oh, was that your Manticore!?" Alder asked sarcastically. "I'm sorry, I thought you were his! Get in the truck!"

Suddenly the Manticore tackled Alder from the side.

"WHOA!" Alder yelled as Reese gasped and Ike's mouth fell open in shock. The giant lion-thing that had been Iago Jorge was fighting the Curious Taco truck driver, who lost his sombrero in the scuffle.

"What do we do!?" Reese yelled.

"Call security?" Ike suggested.

"No time!" Reese yelled. "You heard Alder, he flunked protector training! He can't handle a Manticore!"

Sure enough, Alder seemed to be losing, and was now yelling as the Manticore sat on him. "REALLY DUDE?" He yelled. "YOU'RE SQUASHING ME!"

With a monstrous sneer, not-Iago-Jorge stood up slightly and sat back down even harder, effectively shutting Alder up.

"Ike, we have to do something!" Reese exclaimed.

Ike glanced around at their den. He didn't see much that could be used as a weapon. "Well," he said to Reese. "There's a book, or-"

Without much hesitation, Reese jumped to the couch, grabbed Ike's book, and chucked it at the Manticore's human head. Surprisingly, it had it's target square on the nose, and with an indignant growl, the Manticore got off of Alder and took a step toward Reese.  
"Reese!" Ike exclaimed in worry, running to stand with her. "You can't fight a Manticore! What are you doing?"  
Reese looked at him with startled dark eyes. "I'm not sure," She said, breathing heavily. "I think I'm trying to defeat a Manticore."

The Manticore laughed weezily and smirked at Reese, revealing all of his yellowed sharp teeth. "You think you can beat me, little girl?" He chuckled harshly.

"Well, maybe not her," Alder said. Ike turned and saw him standing near the Manticore with an over sized sword that seemed to be bronze. "But I guess you didn't count on Curious Taco's."

Alder then threw the over sized sword like a boomerang , but the beast avoided the blow and the sword was sent sailing over Ike's head.

The Manticore then did something even more unexpected, he shot something like a spike from his tail at Alder, who yelped and jumped aside.

The spike like thing hit the couch, which burned away like the thing was covered in burning acid.

Reese glared at the Manticore, her eyes flashing. "Hey!" She yelled. "That was my favorite couch!" With that, she charged at the Manticore, suddenly seeming to catch on fire as she did so.

"REESE!" Ike shouted, watching in terror as his little sister tackled the maniac creature, who hissed and shied away, his fur burning. "SOMEBODY GET A BUCKET!" He continued. "REESE IS ON FIRE!"  
"Good for her," Alder said, grinning happily at Reese as she fought. "That's how to do it, kiddo! But now it's Alder's turn. I've got something special planned!" He turned, got in his taco truck, and backed out of the den.

"WAIT!" Ike yelled at him. And then he turned back to Reese. Actually, she didn't seem to be doing too bad against the beast, and she wasn't burning either, which was strange.

Ike hesitated, not knowing what to do, and then he remembered Alder's large sword that had flown over his head.

Turning, Ike saw the bronze blade near the wall. With the Manticore distracted, Ike ran to the wall and picked up the large sword, or he tried to.

The sword was surprisingly heavy, or not so surprising considering it's size, and Ike couldn't find a hold on the leather handle. Still, he rushed toward the Manticore and managed to trip, launching the blade into the sky.

"Reese!" Alder called from a little way away, probably still in his truck. "On my count, I want you to jump, right?"  
Reese, still on fire, turned to Alder's voice and nodded. "Right," She said, a crazy gleam to her eyes.

Then the Curious Taco truck started coming back into the den quickly. Alder the crazy kid with the multi colored freckles began counting down from three, and when he reached one, Reese jumped off of the Manticore and onto the taco truck, while Alder slammed into the Manticore once again, knocking him into the other room.

"Yeah!" Alder yelled again. Reese smiled and slid off of the truck. "Is he dead now?" She asked.

"Of course not," Alder laughed. "That would be _way_ too easy. But, he's unconscious. Nice fire powers, by the way. Now get in the taco truck!"

"Wait," Ike said, feeling confused. "What? What just happened? How - Reese was on fire!"

"Yep, she sure was," Alder agreed, widening his eyes maddeningly. "Very much so. Must be a Hephaestus kid, that's cool. But now you need to get in the truck before that thing wakes up again. I've got a plan."  
"What are you gonna do?" Reese asked as she hoisted herself into the truck. "Are you gonna kill him with that sword?"  
"Nope," Alder said, picking up his sombrero and putting it back on. "I'm gonna blow up your house."


	2. Terreau Sous la Pluie

_Quick disclaimer. I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians and/or Heroes of Olympus. Wait, wait... Nope. Anything you recognize like Camp Half-Blood and Greek god and a bunch of stuff, it isn't mine. Any original characters or storyline is mine, with the help of the ever incredible PlushChrome._

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Chapter Two

**IKE**

**Ike was too shocked to speak.**

He had stumbled into the passenger's seat of the taco truck, feeling like he might either throw up or pass out. Alder climbed into the back and passed two objects to Ike and Reese, who had climbed into the seat next to him, the objects being two strawberries and cream tacos.

Alder smiled happily at them before climbing up into the driver's seat. "This is a _Curious Taco's!_ special," He said. "One of my favorites."

He put the taco truck in reverse and began backing it out of the mansion slowly, trying to avoid bringing even more of the place down as he carefully maneuvered his way through the already-crumbling walls.

"What did you say about blowing up the house?" Reese asked calmly, wiping some strawberry sauce from her chin. Alder grinned at her again.

"Oh yeah," He said enthusiastically. "That's the fun part. You see, I'm not much for fighting, but I always pack a taco truck and some Greek fire."

"Greek gods, Greek fire," Ike muttered quietly.

"That's right," Alder agreed. "It's sort of like a bomb. You see those supplies in the back?"

Ike swiveled around in his seat to look in the back of the truck and saw several tacos in crates, taco making ingredients like some strawberries and ketchup and lettuce, an extra sombrero (This one was bright purple), and several see through jars of what appeared to be green misty stuff.

"You mean those jars?" Ike asked Alder, noting that Reese was smiling like destroying their home with misty fire stuff was a good idea.

"That is correct," Alder said. "That is some of the most dangerous equiment-y thingies that a satyr can get his hands on. Actually, it's sort of off limits for us and my brothers don't generally like it anyway. It destroys nature and all that jazz. But I say fire is a part of nature! Fire is great, it keeps the underbrush from stopping the trees from growing and it blows up maniacs with axes, too!"

"Right," Ike said, sounding a lot calmer then he felt. "Naturally it blows up them too. But - but what about the staff?"  
"The what?" Alder asked in confusion. Ike blinked at him.

"The staff," He said again. "The cook and the waiters and the nanny and the maids and the gardener and... and the horse jockey! And the horses too for that matter!"

"Oh I got them out," Alder said dismissively. "Yeah, they all think your parents gave them the day off."  
"Brilliant," Reese said happily. "So we're gonna... what? Throw the Greek fire into the house as we're leaving?"

Alder scoffed. "Please, silly," He said, rolling his eyes. "Did you think Alder was that simple minded? No, I rigged your place when I backed out so I could hit the Manticore a second time. All it's gonna take is a push of a button. That big button back there."  
Ike turned in his seat again and caught sight of a big red button with yellow stripes and white writing over it that said 'CAUTION'.

"You mean that big button of doom?" Ike asked as he turned back to Alder.

Alder grinned widely. "That's the one, yeah," He said.

"Yeah," Ike said in agreement, looking at his taco in dismay. "So you're gonna destroy my house." He shrugged. "Where are you taking us again?"  
"Camp Half-Blood," Alder told him. They had moved out of the large mansion now, and were rolling across Ike's fathers estate, not minding the winding road. "It's one of the only two places where kids like you will be safe."  
"And the other one?" Reese asked him curiously.

"That one's Roman," Alder told her, rolling his eyes like Reese should know that. "And you're Greek. Wait, you _are_ Greek, right?"

"Dad's from New Jersey," Ike stuttered out, immediately feeling like an idiot. Alder had been talking about his mom's side, of course. "I... I don't know about my mom, though. I didn't hear about her."  
"His name is Icarus," Reese said. "That's Greek, right? The name and the story?"  
Alder wrinkled his nose. "I don't know, do I?" He said. "Icarus... Might be. He was a figure in Greek mythology, I'll tell you that much. Probably didn't make it as far as Rome."  
"Yeah," Ike said again, blinking at him. "So I guess I'm Greek. I don't know about Reese, though. We're not actually..."  
"Related," Reese answered for him. She'd always been more comfortable about saying that then Ike. "But my first name, my _real_ first name, is Amrita. That's nectar. Greek concept, right?"  
"Yes and no," Alder said. "Invented by Greeks, picked up by the Romans. Either way, it means 'drink of the gods'. Are you a drink of the gods, kiddo?"  
"Gosh, I hope not," Reese laughed. "I'd rather not be drunk, thank you."  
Alder grinned and then looked out the window contemplatively, his eyebrows pulling together. "I think that's far enough," He said. And then he yanked the truck around so that Ike clutched his seat and stopped the engine.

"Far enough away to blow it up?" Ike asked, trying to stifle his panic. "Without us getting blown to smithereens as well?"  
"That was the concept," Alder agreed. "You're smart sometimes, half-blood."

"Thanks," Ike told him somewhat sarcastically.

Reese elbowed him and then smiled at Alder. "Thanks for saving us, he means," She said sweetly.

Alder shrugged, but he looked pleased all the same. "Okay," He said. "You guys can get out and we'll watch your house erupt."

Ike followed Reese out of the taco truck and stared at his mansion.

It really was beautiful, especially from far away. It was made of bricks, three stories high with a balcony and a terrace, it's pretty black roof gleamed. The grounds were even more beautiful then the house. The trees were all huge and full, stretching to the sky, and the gardens blossomed with different colored flowers, some that Ike had planted himself.

The beauty of the house and the grounds, however, was affected by the giant taco truck sized holes blasting through the entire mansion.

"Let's blow this baby!" Alder said excitedly. Ike didn't turn to him, he just stared at the house, watching as the pretty red bricks burst into thick, bright green flames.

Reese laughed with pleasure and Alder shouted out.

Ike could've said anything watching his house burn. He could've said 'Well, there goes a perfectly good house'. He could've said 'What are we going to tell Mia' or 'And so passes the life of Icarus Tyler. Let us have a moment of silence to mourn the loss of our dearly departed', but instead he turned to Alder and crossed his arms.

"CampHalf-Blood," He said, biting his lip. "Reese and I can be safe?"  
"Yeah, pretty much," Alder said thoughtfully. "All things considered. And she's too young for a quest, anyway."  
Ike considered that. "And... And we'll be able to come back, right?" He asked. "We'll be able to see our parents and Becky and everyone even if we come with you?"

"Yeah, just not for the summer," Alder said, nodding so that his sombrero bounced. "CampHalf-Blood can be year round, but lots of people only do the summer and still go to school and pretend they're normal. Silly of them."

"So things will go back to being normal?" Ike asked in relief.

Alder widened his eyes. "Normal?" He said in disbelief. "Say goodbye to normal, Ike Tyler. Nothing in your life will ever be normal again. You'll have monsters on you all the time, you'll dodge death every month or so, you'll have to explain to your friends and your family why weird things always happen around you, and you'll always be wired, always be worried, always be waiting for something crazy to happen. And you'll get used to dealing with those impossible things when they come along. Some demigods become legends, others stay alive. Some can't take it. Demigods, satyrs, even monsters, some crack under the pressure."

Ike looked into Alder's crazed eyes, they were blue, and were once probably nice looking. He could believe that people could crack, looking at his and Reese's 'protector'.

"I don't like normal," Reese pouted. "I say, take us to camp. We can deal with anything. Greek fire, taco trucks, Manticores and everything. Right, Ike?"  
Ike bit his lip worriedly and shuffled his feet. "Yeah," He agreed quietly. "I guess."

The sun seemed to beat down harder when he slid back into the taco truck, it had melted his strawberries and cream taco.

Alder started the engine and grinned at his two, now sort of willing passengers. "Well," He said. "Not far from camp, now. You guys are gonna love it. I'm a public menace there!"

Alder started the engine and began driving the car away while Reese started humming a tune. Ike looked behind them, but the charred remains of his house had already faded into the green landscapes.

"Goodbye, life." Ike mumbled to himself, but Alder heard.

"That's the spirit!" He said happily. "Soon, you'll be enjoying a brand new life! With brand new, life or death experiences! Have another taco!"

Alder said it was going to be two and a half hours before they got to this mysterious camp, and he and Reese immediately began wolfing down taco's and talking about Greek fire and camp and a bunch of other crazy things, so Ike told them that he was going to catch a quick nap.

He dreamed about a great council, all in large thrones in a beautiful round room. Every person was completely different from the next.

One person was tall with ash blonde hair and gentle blue eyes that didn't match his lopsided grin, one was a man in a bizarre tiger striped shirt, one was a woman with intelligent grey eyes and another looked like a surfer. There was a girl in a golden colored dress, a big muscled man with a singed beard and several cuts and welts on his face, a brooding guy who was dressed in a black cape and had deep brown eyes, a drop dead gorgeous woman who seemed too interested in putting on eyeliner to pay attention to the others, a woman who had skin like moonlight and a silver bow slung over her shoulder, a guy with bleach blonde hair and bright eyes, and a big biker type guy in sunglasses and leather boots.

But at the forefront of the council were two very important looking people. One was a man with black hair and a beard, his eyes were electric blue and he wore a pinstriped suit and shiny shoes.

The woman was tall and beautiful, with stately features and sharp eyes. The golden circlet on her chocolate colored hair and the straight way that she held herself made Ike think that she was in a position of power, but her hands fluttered nervously and her perfect cheeks were stained with dried tears, like she hadn't bothered to wash her face for the important meeting.

The council had a visitor, who everyone kept shooting nervous glances. The visitor didn't seem to care. She was built like a super model, with hair so dark it looked like midnight, done in plaits down her back and braided with what looked like stars. Her skin was paler then the girl with moonlight skin, and the visitor's actually shined like it was made of starlight. She was wearing all black clothes, a long black dress, hooded cape, and black leather sheath down her leg. Her feet were bare.

"Brother," Called the surfer guy to the guy in the suit. He did look a bit like the important guys brother, they had the same dark hair, even if the surfer had eyes the color of the sea. "Tell us why you have gathered us today."  
"Surely you did not just want to talk," The brooding guy in black sneered, and then he turned to the girl in the corner and bowed his head in respect. "Milady," He said. "I think it would clear up things for me, and for the others, if it was explained why you are here today. Not that your presence is unwelcome."  
The biker guy snorted, but then he winced and mumbled a apology as the guest's eyes traveled to him.

The woman turned back to the brooding man and she smiled slightly. "I do not know, my lord." She said. "I was summoned by your brother the king."  
"Our brother the king," The brooding man said with a scoff. "Well perhaps 'the King' may speak his mind."  
"All in good time my brother," The important man said. He reached over and took the hand of the pretty sad woman, who had started crying again, and all the other mismatched council members began muttering in worry like that was the weirdest most unusual thing they'd ever seen.

"Lord Zeus," The guy with the bleach blonde hair complained. "I should be half way across the sky by now. I had to let my horses go on without me for now. And surely my sister has quests with her hunters,"  
"That's true," The girl with midnight skin agreed. "Though Thalia is good by herself. She is quite a leader."  
"We all have matters to attend to, Apollo," The man in the suit said warily. "But this is most important. Some of you may know the joy that Queen Hera and I have recently fallen into."  
"Oh yes," The man in black said sarcastically, wrinkling his nose. "Your new little... godling on the way." His eyes snapped to Hera and then he frowned in confusion. "Where is it?"

"Gone," Hera said, her eyes flashed with anger and she stood. "My child is gone. My perfect child has been stolen!"  
"Ike!" Reese called. Ike jerked awake. "Gone," He said out loud. Reese frowned at him. "What?" She asked in bewilderment. "The house? Yeah we blew it up, remember? We're at the camp now."

Ike blinked at her and then looked out of the truck windows to see a large white pine on a hill, on one of the branches was a gold colored rug type thing, and a huge dragon lay on the ground, curled up and oozing smoke out of it's nostrils.

"Whoa," Ike said, sitting up quickly and rubbing his eyes. "Dragon, okay."

"Yeah," Reese agreed calmly. "Alder said that the dragon guarded the fleece and all that old fashioned Greek stuff.

Ike blinked at the gold rug. Greek camp, golden fleece. It made sense to him. "Where-" Ike started, he stuttered and cleared his throat. "Where's our protector?"  
"Alder?" Reese asked in confusion. Ike raised his eyebrows, wanting to say 'no the other one' but holding himself back. "Oh, he's in the back. Of the truck. Getting something."  
"Got it!" Alder shouted, he jumped from the back of the truck into the front eat. Ike yelled and jumped back, nearly squashing Reese.

"Why' you yelling like that, half-blood?" Alder asked, looking offended, he was holding a backpack and his big sword was slung over his shoulder.

"S-sorry," Ike gasped. "You scared me. I guess I'm just jumpy, you know, so much has happened. I... It's nothing. I just had a stroke, I'm fine. Sorry for yelling, Alder. Sorry for pushing you, Reese."  
Neither Reese nor Alder got Ike's half-sarcasm, and each looked pleased with Ike's apology.

"That's fine, Ike," Alder told him, grinning. "I was just grabbing m' sword and something else. I'm gonna drop you guys off here and then take off after adventure. It's how I roll. Always after the next monster to fight! GO CURIOUS TACO'S!"  
"Wait, you're leaving?" Reese asked in disbelief. "We don't even know about... about any of this. We don't know about Greeks and gods and... and any of it! How are we going to explain things to whoever runs the camp? How are we even going to find it!"  
"You're demigods," Alder rolled his eyes. "That's enough. The dragon won't eat you if you've got god blood."

"But..." Reese sighed, obviously upset. "Why can't you come along?"  
"I am a public menace here," Alder said, throwing out his chest proudly. "And I enjoy that fact. But they might keep me confined. I've gotten three half-bloods to Camp safe and sound, well sort of sound, but you two are the smelliest ones so far."  
Ike hesitated and then exchanged a glance with Reese. Smelliest? "What exactly does that mean?" He wondered.

"Demigod stink," Alder explained with an airy wave of his hand. "Nothing to worry about, s'not your fault. All of you guys smell funny. I heard of a son of Poseidon, little more then ten, who smelled like sea salt and ocean spray so badly that the satyr who brought him in was gagging. You two are lucky."  
"What do I smell like?" Reese wondered, her eyes sparkling.

"Dry, hot air," Alder told her happily. "Dry, hot air and burnt wood. Another reason I think you're a Hephaestus kid. That, and you can catch on fire. Here,"  
Alder grabbed his sword from over his shoulder and handed it to Reese, who nearly buckled under the weight.

"Your sword?" Reese said. "You want me to hold it for you or what?"  
"It's yours," Alder said. "I'm not much of a fighter, I suppose you saw that well enough with the Manticore. My weapons are my truck, my charming personality, and my ability to surpass any arguments by saying weird things."  
"But-" Ike started.

Alder raised his eyebrows. "What about that chicken there?" He interrupted him.

"You can't-" Reese started with a frown.

Alder held up a hand to stop her. "Terreau sous la pluie," He said matter-of-factly.

Ike frowned. "Did you just say 'Humus in the rain' in French?" He asked in bewilderment.

"Did I?" Alder said with a smile. He held up his backpack, which was plain dark green. "That there be supplies and such. You know, the basics. You might not have a lot of stuff once you reach CampHalf-Blood, so that's just some stuff."  
"Why didn't you give me supplies?" Reese pouted, crossing her arms in displeasure.

"You're more of a fighter type," Ike told her. "I'm more of a 'yeah, let's sit and read Lord of the Rings over coffee' type. You get the sword."  
"That's right!" Alder patted Ike's shoulder. "And you're cool because you know and accept that fact. So I'll be taking off then."  
"Wait, you can't-" Reese started again. "Ike!"

"What?" Ike asked. Reese punched his shoulder and gestured for him to talk to Alder. Ike cleared his throat and turned to Alder. "See ya' man," He said.

"Ike!" Reese whined, making Ike into a three syllable name. She punched him even harder then she had. "I wanted you to convince Alder to come with us! Not encourage him!"  
"Well, I-" Ike began, defending himself, but Reese only turned to Alder and put her hands on her hips. "Listen, Alder," She said. "You should really just-"

"GRIFFON ON THE TACO TRUCK!" Alder shouted in a panic, pointing to the truck frantically. "BOSQUET EN BAMBOU DEUX FOIS ENLEVE!"

Ike blinked at him, noting that he had just said 'bamboo thicket twice removed' in French. But Reese, who had never learned French, or Spanish for that matter, yelped and stumbled backwards away from the taco truck.

Alder threw Ike the backpack and then jumped into the truck.

Reese got over her shock, but before she could do anything, Alder stepped on it and spun down the hill. He yelled "CURIOS TACO'S... AWAY!" as the truck disappeared.

"How dare he!" Reese started striding down the hill angrily. "He's just leaving us here to explain things to the camp!"  
"Well," Ike said as he followed her, sticking his hands in his pockets. "You know what they say "Les satyres sont peu fiables quand il s'agit d'épinards"."

Reese nodded in acceptance and Ike tried not to laugh.  
"You're rather foolish," Reese commented, giving Ike a look. "You should've seen your face when I caught on fire!"

Ike nudged her, his face flushing pink in embarrassment. "Your face was pretty funny when Alder told you there was a griffin on the taco truck. Or when your agent turned into a Manticore."

"Yeah, how could we _not _know about that?" Reese laughed.

"Well," Ike said thoughtfully. "We can't blame Mia too much. He probably didn't have 'Can transform into a part-man part beast monster. Will eat children if required' on his résumé."

They both stopped walking as they saw the camp. Stretching out before them was a pretty wide space, nestled in between small hills. There were lots of house type things in a pattern that looked almost like a horseshoe that all looked different. One was silver and shiny, another was gold, one had barbed wire on it and another one was black with green torches.

The camp was lined with a small lake on one side, a beach opening to Long Island Sound on another, and a forest on another part. Ike spotted several kids in scruffy clothes, some with armor on, talking, playing basketball, or riding pegasi.

Yes, actual Pegasi, big glossy horses with wings that trotted on the floor or flew through the sky with laughing campers on their backs.

One of the campers riding a Pegasus spotted them. She smiled and called out "New campers!"

Ike gulped as everyone turned to look at him and Reese.

"I guess..." He started nervously. Reese nodded her head and smiled at him. "We're going to camp!" She squealed happily. "To learn how to fight monsters!"

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